4/12 Springfield Eversource Rate Hearing

posted by Faith Simon | 34sc

Recently, you might have gotten something with your Eversource bill about hearings for a "rate case". You probably tossed it, but it turns out this is something that is really important to allow renewable energy to continue to grow in MA. It is particularly important for rooftop solar, which we all want to see more of!

I hope you will come to one of the hearings.

Basically, overall Eversource is proposing a bill increase to you and I that would increase their revenue by about $100 million dollars. Eversource is asking the state (via the Department of Public Utilities, or DPU) to give them a guaranteed return on equity of 10.5%, which would be among the highest rate of any utility in the country.

There are many parts of this proposal that are bad for solar, including imposing "demand charges" on residential customers and higher "fixed customer charges"; which will both have the effect of lowering net metering credits. The proposal is also bad for low income households (western MA families could end up with an annual bill of $500 before they even turn on the lights!), and for energy conservation.

If you want to see more clean energy in MA, then please plan on attending one of the public hearings to express your opinion. It will be important for the DPU commissioners to see a broad range of constituents and ratepayers at the hearings.